Uninsured and in the hospital: Pastor Jim's story

Photo: A middle-aged Jim Bzoskie smiles behind his grey mustache. Pastor Jim Bzoskie lay in the hospital wondering how he was going to pay the bill. Until now he had been healthy and active, serving the small congregation at Cornerstone Bible Church in Hastings, Minnesota. But on January 11, 2004, he awoke from a nap with chest pain.

His wife drove him to the nearest emergency room. He was having a heart attack.

The staff said they would put him in an ambulance and get him to a tertiary care hospital.

"I can't go," he said. "I don't have health insurance."

The nurse on staff said, "You don't have a choice! You need to go."

So Pastor Bzoskie agreed to be transported to Allina's United Hospital in St. Paul, a place where he had ministered at the bedside to many patients over the years. Now he was going to be the patient.

House payments or insurance premiums

Pastor Bzoskie had been without health insurance since June 2003, when his church could no longer afford to pay for his policy.

He worked two extra jobs, but it still wasn't enough to make ends meet. So, the Bzoskies had to decide whether to make their house payments or pay insurance premiums.

They chose the house.

Courteous care

At United Hospital, the doctors and nurses stabilized Pastor Bzoskie.

An angiogram revealed several blockages in his coronary arteries.

"Do the simplest thing you can do. I don't have health insurance," he recalled telling the care team.

They reassured him that he would receive the necessary care regardless of his ability to pay.

"They were so courteous. Not once did they treat us differently because of our insurance problem. They said they could work something out with the bill. They asked my wife to sign a form and said they'd mail us information about financial assistance programs at Allina," he said.

After having an angioplasty during which he received a stent, Pastor Bzoskie was able to go home to recuperate and be with family and friends.

Even after getting home, worry plagued him. How were they ever going to pay the hospital bill?

A big bill and a welcome letter

Then the bill came. It was $49,488.90. The Bzoskies cried; then they prayed.

The next day another letter arrived. It was from Kim Nygaard at Allina Hospitals & Clinics.

He read it and cried again, but this time it was tears of joy and relief.

The letter said, "Dear Pastor, Your application has been approved. You have qualified for assistance. The proper action will be taken to close your account. Allina's Partners Care program will cover all of your hospital medical bills."

Allina was covering the costs through the one of its several financial assistance services that provides for patients who cannot afford to pay their medical bills. Partners Care has been offered by Allina for many years. But over the last few years, Allina has seen an increasing need for this program.

Feeling well today

Today, Pastor Bzoskie is feeling well. He gets regular checkups. He has since found a way to obtain health insurance.

When he visits patients at United Hospital, he asks if they have insurance, and then tells them about financial assistance programs.

The Bzoskies sent a thank you letter to the hospital and to Kim Nygaard.

"But how do you say thank you for something like this -- something so big? We have only praise and good things to say about Allina," he said. "They were there when we needed them."

Helping others pay their medical bills

Over the past 10 years, Allina Hospitals & Clinics has helped more than 40,000 patients and their families pay their medical bills.

If you need financial help, please ask to see a financial counselor at your local Allina clinic or hospital to help you decide which program fits your needs.